It would be pretty safe to fill in half of the Big 12 Conference title game bracket in ink.

Bring a pencil for the other line, though, and keep an eraser handy.

No. 2 Texas’ 52-17 thumping of Texas Tech on Saturday, which dropped the Red Raiders seven spots to No. 17, established the Longhorns as the overwhelming favorite to win the Big 12 South. The only clear thing in the North Division is that a pair of record-breaking quarterbacks, both wearing black and gold, have put their teams in contention to reach the conference title game Dec. 3 in Houston.

That’s assuming Missouri and Colorado, who meet Nov. 5 in Boulder, Colo., first can pass this weekend’s road tests after big home victories Saturday.

“Respect in this business goes week to week,” Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said after the Tigers beat Nebraska, 41-24, behind a school-record 480 yards of total offense from quarterback Brad Smith. “The more you win, the more confidence you get as a football team.”

Colorado, the defending North champion, got four touchdowns from Joel Klatt – who now holds the school record with 41 career TD passes – in a 44-13 victory over Kansas University.

The Buffaloes and Missouri are both 5-2 overall and 3-1 in conference play, with each team’s lone Big 12 loss coming to the Longhorns.

“We’re pretty good to this point, but we’ve just got to keep working hard,” said Pinkel, whose team has won three straight but now must try to break a two-game losing streak against Kansas.

Colorado also will travel this weekend to Kansas to take on a frustrated Kansas State team.

The Wildcats had their chance against Texas A&M on Saturday, twice closing within two points late after falling behind 16-0 in the first quarter, but the Aggies held on for a 30-28 victory.

The Buffaloes have won three of their last four against Kansas State.

“We really need to continue to take care of our own business,” Klatt said, “because we control our own destiny, and working hard and executing could take us to Houston.”

Nebraska (5-2, 2-2) theoretically still is in the North picture despite Saturday’s loss. Given the division’s unsettled nature this year, even Iowa State and Kansas State – both 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the North – have outside shots.

“We have our backs against the wall,” Kansas State linebacker Brandon Archer said. “We have to come out fighting and get some wins.”

The Cyclones, who lost in two overtimes at Nebraska and in overtime to Missouri, picked up their first conference victory Saturday by beating Oklahoma State, 37-10.

Last year, Iowa State started 0-3 in the Big 12 – then won four straight before falling just short of the title game.

“The guys have been just sick of those heartbreaking, tough losses,” Cyclones coach Dan McCarney said. “Now, hopefully those are behind us, and hopefully we can go out and have a real good season.”

Texas A&M (5-2, 3-1), which extended its winning streak against Kansas State to five, doesn’t meet UT until the regular-season finale Nov. 25 and could win the Big 12 South by running the table.

A meeting at Texas Tech looms Nov. 5, though. And if Kansas State freshman Allan Evridge could throw for 357 yards and three touchdowns against the Aggies, as he did Saturday, imagine what the Red Raiders’ Cody Hodges – who averages 404.3 yards passing – might do.

Still, A&M felt good about finding a way to overcome its seasonlong injury problem, and its own mistakes against the Wildcats, for its first road victory of the year.

“Well, I think that this win is definitely a big confidence builder,” defensive end Chris Harrington said. “We got a lot of young guys out there playing right now, and some injuries have happened, and some other guys have had to step up – but that’s how football is.”

Oklahoma managed to avoid its first loss in 15 games against Baylor – a series that dates to 1901 but only has counted in conference play since the Big 12 was created in 1996 – but it wasn’t easy.

The Sooners (4-3, 3-1), who won the last three South titles and two of the last three conference championships, already have lost to Texas and would need outside help to repeat. On Saturday, they needed double overtime to beat the Bears, 37-30.

“I’m proud of our team for hanging in there, but I’m not proud of some plays that we could be better at,” said Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops, whose team climbed over .500 for the first time this year. “But I’m proud of the fact that in the end, we hung in there and won in overtime and made the plays that made the difference.”

Baylor (4-3, 1-3) will have to pull at least one upset to be eligible for its first bowl since 1994.